Modeling of a spray drying method to produce ciprofloxacin nanocrystals inside the liposomes utilizing a response surface methodology: Box-Behnken experimental design

Spray drying was previously used to modify the physical form of the encapsulated ciprofloxacin drug to produce ciprofloxacin nanocrystals inside the liposomes (CNL). The purpose of the present study was to optimize CNL powder production by evaluating the response surface via design of experiments (DoE). Using the Box–Behnken (BB) design, the study independent variables were the protectant type (sucrose, trehalose or lactose), protectant amount, drying temperature, and spray gas flow. Individual spray drying experiments were performed at various set points for each variable followed by characterization of the produced powders. Liposomal particle size, drug encapsulation efficiency (EE%), liposomal surface zeta potential, and nanocrystal dimensions were the design dependant variables. By applying the least square regression method on the experimental data, mathematical models were developed using the mathematical software package MATLAB R2018b. Model reliability and the significance of the model’s factors were estimated using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The generated CNL powders showed spherical to elliptical liposomal vesicles with particle sizes ranging from 98 to 159 nm. The EE (%) ranged from 30 to 95% w/w while the zeta potential varied between −3.5 and −10.5 mV. The encapsulated ciprofloxacin nanocrystals were elongated cylindrical structures with an aspect ratio of 4.0–7.8. Coefficients of determination (R2 > 0.9) revealed a good agreement between the predicted and experimental values for all responses except for the nanocrystal dimensions. Sucrose and lactose were superior to trehalose in protecting the liposomes during spray drying. The amount of sugar significantly affected the characteristics of the CNL powders (p-value < 0.05). In conclusion, the DoE approach using BB design has efficiently modelled the generation of CNL by spray drying. The optimum processing conditions which produced high drug encapsulation (90%) after formation of nanocrystals and a vesicle size of ~125 nm utilized 57% (w/w) sucrose, an 80 °C inlet temperature, and an atomization rate of 742 L/hr.